Here is a super simple dfinition of how to play slots:

Slot machines, those dazzling displays of lights and sounds, have captivated players for generations worldwide. Their simple yet thrilling gameplay coupled with the potential for life-changing wins makes them a cornerstone of land-based and online casinos. You can nowadays find slots nearly everywhere; at the airports, grocery stores, and even weddings! But with so many variations, it can feel overwhelming for newcomers. This beginner's guide will break down the mechanics of slots, from basic symbols to bonus features, and equip you with valuable tips to help you enjoy the game even more.

Slot Machines Made Simple

Slot machines are casino games entirely based on chance, where you spin reels with various symbols in the hopes of matching them to win prizes. Each spin is completely random and independent from the previous one, and the goal is to line up specific symbol combinations on paylines, which are the winning patterns across the reels.

Old vs Modern Slots

Old slot machines were simple 3-reel machines that worked using a mechanical system of gears, levers, and reels.

When a player inserted a coin and pulled a lever, the reels started to spin. Inside the machine, gears and springs controlled how the reels moved and eventually stopped. The goal was the same, to line up matching symbols on the reels to win according to the machine’s patterns. Once the player hit a winning combination, the machine automatically released coins as their prize. Everything was powered by physical parts, unlike today’s digital and online slots, making the experience entirely mechanical and straightforward.

Modern slot machines, on the other hand, whether physical or online, feature exciting themes, bonus rounds, and special features like wilds and free spins, progressive jackpots, making them extra fun, easy to play, and full of big wins.

How To Play Slots: Machine Mechanics

While the objective of new-generation slot machines remains the same as their ancestors, modern physical and online slot machines operate using a Random Number Generator (RNG). This complex algorithm ensures every spin is completely random and independent of the previous one, making the outcome quite fair and random. It is the main reason cheaters have a difficult time manipulating the outcome of the game. Cheaters used various methods like cheat codes, Yo Yo Hack, Magnet, and Monkey Paw to make the reels stop on the winning pattern. With the advancement of technology and use of RNGs and other fairness practices, slot cheats can no longer manipulate the games like before. In addition to RNGs, slot machines have several parts you should learn before starting to gamble:

Paylines: Slot paylines are lines across the reels where winning symbol combinations must land to trigger a payout, i.e., prize. Traditional slots had a few, while modern ones can have dozens or even hundreds of paylines, including diagonal, zigzag, and even "all ways" patterns.

Pay Tables: A slot pay table is a chart unique to each machine that displays the payouts for different symbol combinations. The highest-paying symbols, like 7s, bars, or special game-themed symbols, align less frequently.

Winning Patterns: Specific arrangements of symbols, like 3 matching symbols in a row or 7 apples in a diagonal shape, that trigger a payout (win) according to the pay table are known as slot winning patterns.

Video & Online Slot Features

Modern slots (physical, video, and online) come with bonus features to enhance gameplay, increase unpredictability, and peak excitement, which vary among the types of slot games. The most common slot features are:

• Wild Symbols: Wilds are versatile symbols that can substitute for any other symbol (except scatter symbols) and help create winning combinations. Imagine a missing piece in a puzzle—a Wild symbol is the missing piece.
• Scatter Symbols: Scatters are similar to Wilds. However, these symbols don't need to appear on a specific payline to trigger payouts. Landing a certain number of scatters usually activates bonus rounds or free spins.
• Bonus Rounds: Slot machines featuring bonus rounds include interactive mini-games that offer a chance to win extra prizes beyond the standard spins. Such games can range from simple pick-and-win games (choosing hidden prizes) to more complex challenges promising bigger prizes.
• Free Spins: These rounds allow players to spin the reels many times without wagering any additional money. Often, free spins come with multipliers that significantly increase potential winnings.
• Progressive Jackpots: These are the most exciting features of modern slots. Progressive jackpots gradually increase with each bet placed on the machine until a lucky player hits the jackpot. The jackpot can grow to enormous sums, offering the chance for life-changing wins. Some progressive jackpot slot machines are linked together to allow for even bigger payouts.
• Megaways: Megaways slot machines offer a vast number of paylines, often changing with each spin, creating even more exciting and unpredictable gameplay. Essentially, to play a slot, you place a bet, spin the reels, and wait for the symbols to align according to the winning patterns and paytable to win real money prizes.

Slot Machine Odds & Payouts Explained

In addition to RNG and other features explained above, you should learn how to read a slot machine payout and odds. In other words, you should know your possible win per every unit wagered. When choosing a slot machine to play, you should look for the highest RTP machines. RTP or Return To Player is the theoretical long-term average payout of a slot machine represented in percentage. For example, a slot with a 97% RTP means that, over a very large number of spins, the machine will return 97% of the total money wagered back to players. The keynote about RTPs is that the number represents a theoretical long-term average and does not guarantee any specific outcome on individual spins or even in shorter playing sessions. Slot odds refer to the likelihood of winning that specific slot game, which varies greatly depending on the specific game, its features, and the number of paylines. The odds of winning on a slot machine are also affected by the following factors:

• Number of symbols: The more symbols used in a game, the more the odds of landing specific combinations, like the higher-paying ones, decrease.
• Number of paylines: More paylines represent more possibilities to win. However, slot machines with more paylines often offer smaller payout wins.
• Volatility or Variance: Volatility displays the frequency of it hitting a winning combination and how big it pays out. For example, when you play low volatility slots, you can expect more frequent small wins, while high volatility machines pay out less frequent but bigger prizes. While finding the volatility of physical slot machines may be challenging, the best online video slots display the volatility level of the machine in the game info section.

How To Choose A Slot Machine: Beginner Slot Tips

As a general rule of thumb, you should find the highest RTP machine with the most paylines and medium volatility, as these machines offer better chances of winning. However, choosing the best slot machine is more of a personal preference. While you should always hunt for the highest RTP%, you should take the following into account when choosing a slot game to play:

• Bankroll: You must set a gambling budget and divide it into several spins. Avoid betting your entire bankroll at once. While betting the max (maximum limit per spin) may increase the amount you might win, the odds are against you.
• Gambling style: If you prefer more frequent wins with smaller payouts, go for the low-volatility machines. If you are willing and can afford to risk more for a chance to win a bigger prize, choose high-volatility machines that hit less frequently. My suggestion to beginner slot players is low- to medium-volatility machines.

Final Thoughts

In this beginner-friendly guide, I covered all the essentials of how to play slots. While slots are one of the most exciting and easy casino games to learn and gamble, you should remember the entire game is based on chance and there is not much you can do to improve the odds in your favor. Still, if you learn how to read the slot pay tables, paylines, and understand the machine’s RTP, you can have a higher chance of winning. Make sure to set your budget, choose the right slot for you, and always gamble responsibly.

FAQs

How do I play a slot machine?

Choose a trusted online casino, create an account, make a deposit, claim your welcome bonus and free spins, choose your favorite machine, place a bet, hit spin, and hope for the big win.

What are the main types of slot machines?

Classic slot machines, video slots, and progressive machines are the main types of slot machines.

What are some common slot machine features?

Wild symbols, scatters, and bonus rounds are the most common features of modern slots.

What are the different types of bets I can make?

You can place a line bet (bet per payline) and a total bet (bet on all active paylines).